Lathe bed construction



Sept. 12, 1933.

W. G. HOELSCHE'R El AL LATHE BED CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet. l

INVENTOR,

M Z ATTORNEY! Filed June 17, 1931 Sept. 12; 1933.

w. s. HOELSCHER El AL 1,926,997

LATHE BED CONSTRUCTION Filed June 17, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 V W e ATTORNEY;

p 12. 1933- w. G. HOELSCHER Er AL 41,926997 LATHE BED GONSTRUCTI ON Filed June 17, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORJ' WFW I W, ATTORNEY5 pt. 12, 1933- w. G. HQELSCHER Er AL 1,926,991

LATHE BED CONSTRUCTION Filed June 17, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 E J! 46 i MW i i. i 4/ 56 1 1.. "14:; a

I o i E I: l

6 .1 .75 j! j] I INVENTOR 3 W k M ATTORNEY:

Patented Sept. 12, 1933 -LATHELLBED. CONSTRUCTION 7 William; G. Ho'elscher, Norwood, and -Albert E. l Robinson, TCincinnati,Ehio,Lassignors to The American-floolfWorks: Company; Cincinnati,

.Aphlication Junej l'l, 1931. ;-'Serial No. 545,044

,peciallyl. lathes and; is particularlyu directed .to improvements '..in llathe r beds mincorporating a means for receivingnthe .chips 1' and oil. from the? 2;- workand, the ways of the- 'latha. and meansv for 1, t-.-removing,rtheasame,z and tdfeatures; of improve- J 'ment oi-itheiconstructiorr ofithe. lathe-bed 'for =re- .inforci-ng', and bracing 4711815811118. against the usual 1 fworkingsistrains which J are imposed whereupon, .lltiisnthel'objectlof this invention toprovide a I -lathe (bed ahavingz-t-he iconventional spaced ways .-.--belevWwhieh-=waysradchip-receiving receptacle, or 1 trough is included -prefierably swithin. the-lathe V.-=bed=iandiwhereinidirectinga walls v are, provided for i1dinectingithe chips and oiLinto, the, trough, and M Him which ,-.treughz= or (receptacle a conveyor: device as mounted riot mavingqtheschips andrdischargpwing: :the: same, preferably: .from one end ,of; the lathe-bed. A zfurthermobjectiye relatestoqthe .str-uctureof the convey n o-zdevicexand .1 its relation to the lathe bed.

-It..-.ise another :reb ent 33ft. this intention to; prowvidetaniimpro educenstructioni=ior a lathe y bed mforstrengtheningyandmracing zthe same riwhfiie'=-- eibm all rtorsionahstrains: iand -lateral strains are I effective-ion itwistingriorzi disalignilngithe ways, :ormfor --.destrcying-.ithe initial-Nctomnctofuthembed.

.1. Thistobjectl-iscarried out xthnough theyprovision of: speciallnformeducrpssiwallsnincicombination i301 v'withqaieneitudinallyeiextended portion-domed to lithe; cmss-fwebs-rand;ithe;igeneraltwallsmisthe"bed $.11); a =-fashiontwherebyznotienlyiarertheeloadsand working thrusts suitably bracediegainstsbum at zzthesameii imet a: chiprrreeentacle .:is included, as

i a a spart ofi thezreinforcement.:means,

- ,-0theriob;iects: andeertainzsadventagesrwilk be amore "fiullya, apparent inom,rtheadescriphiemiofitheiaccempanyingidrawingsnin which:

nEigure; his; a lengitudinal sectienalnvievniof a i slat-he. bedmhowing;theichipwreeeiyingitrougluand a :conveyorxmeans forirlisposal-aoizithe; ch ps-sand other debris discharged from the woc'knahdsthe ways of the-iathebed;

7': vichip: conueyzon means. it

,r hignre an aise'cticnal-iview:takenon :line 3-3,.:,. Eigure .1,'.=. showing thes generalccrossseseeticnalz .appearance:lof therlatherbed zfflrrthfi. nurpnses of simength 'andmhip reception ;:as;:describ.e.d;

lifigureesisca longitudinal":sectionaloview:{of a; #modified 1f orm- 20f xlatha bedtwherein? the; chip receptacle. .or itrmishsisce5:fahricatedxpart-iof;:the-i general construction;

" :riiigure dais} arrtransverse esectimralnviewrtaken:

r'lhis inventionfirelatesitto; machine .toolsgdesonline 55; Figure 4, further detailing the builtliniconstruction of the. receptacle or trough ..-l .ig.ure 6-isa fragmentary longitudinal .secltiona l view-cf, a lathe body or, bed, illustrating a modified form and arrangement of the. chip rtecei-ving and-discharging means. i r :Figure '7 is an end viewpartlyin section, illustrating the-drive-for. the modified chip discharging device. I V

, Figure 8isasectional view taken online 8-8, Figure ,6,- 1 detailing. the interior construction; of thefmodified lathe-bed. V Figure 9is a sectional view taken on 1ine9-9, Figure 7, further detailing the ,drive for ,the modifiedchip discharging device. V p

iFigure slu p-is afragmentary, perspective-view illustrating av-portion of the endless conveyor deiviceused inathe modified construction. a

,To' provide a trough-like chip receiving enclosure which mountsthe chip conveying discharg 9mg,913 clisitilacillg"device,l the general structure of n the lathe bed has-been greatly reinforced and braced to provide an exceedingly strong supportingrbase for the' lathe-parts. T-he walls arranged in :the lathe for; directing the chips falling frorn' thexwayszinto the trough 1 add to the general strength of the lathe-bed. p

'Referri-ng specificallyto the drawings, the lathe .vbed .,is generallyindicated at-lO andv a-conven- 85 ation-a1 carriage l-lris shown, mounted on-t-he-ways ,thereof, Theways L2; il2 are disposed in paraliilel-ism,. sas;=isconventional,onthe top surface of other} debriswhich mayaccumulate on the ways umaygfallt-intozthe :central portion of -,the :lathe fifbQd-QZ .zGenerallyi; speaking, -;the lathe bed comprises (side walls 13-.rand cross ribs or septums 14 of iplurahwallform or of tubular construction. The

l g wtroughflS ;;is preferably an integral; part, of'gthe .-:-l !igure 2zisatsectional:viewitakemondine 2--2,.c-ilathe;bedbut-may beformed otheavy'sheetmetal Figure lii dctailingethev-powentconnection-tdithe i and-built intohthe general form of the latheibed.

ltzispreferable to-have the receptacle or trough disposed, substantially throughout the, length of rthe lathe-bed or throughout the length over which the work is disposed.

The-trough -15 may be of any form for, the pur l peses .of-the-chip:receptionfrcm above insofar as gthereceptacle purposes are concerned and is built to fitgthe type ofdevice whichais incorporated -.:therein-=;f or-, feeding the chips-to one end iof the latheahed. The form whichais particularly desif-' able is that which will have utility not only as a receptacle but which will materially aid in strengthening the general structure of the lathe bed. 5 The type of construction wherein the trough or chip receptacle is formed as an integrally cast part of the lathe bed, is illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive. The trough or receptacle is of semicircular form open at the top and includes a 10 to the side walls or way portions of the lathe by inclined side wall or deflecting wall portions 16. At that point where the trough portion joins the cross ribs or septums, it may be extended through the double wall construction of the septum in semicircular form and including themclined connecting wall portions, which merely add to the strength of the structure when included within the double wall septums. The portion within the plural wall septums, for fully housing the conveyor device, may be strictly cylindrical.

The arrangement of thetroughwall of relatively substantial thickness centrally and longitudinally of the lathe bed connecting the cross ribs or septums aids in the general bracing of the lathe bed for preventing racking and frac-" turing of the bed under torsional strains. The inclined wall portions extended from the way portions of the bed to this longitudinally arranged trough wall are in the proper alignment for functioning as struts or braces against those work thrusts tending to collapse or sway the side walls 13 of the bed outwardly or inwardly, whereas the heavy side walls of the lathe bed accommodate for the direct vertical strains and the weight of the operative parts. It will be seen that these inclined walls also function forgenerally bracing the structure of the lathe bed throughout its length, and, therefore, aid in resisting torsional strains also.

It is preferable to remove the clips accumulating in the recepetacle or trough automatically and by power. In this instance a conveyor dereinforcing or trough wall, the conveyor being in the form of a spiral or screw formed of plate 18 coiled and secured about a central shaft 19 and mounted for rotation within the semicircular trough wall. The shaft of the spiral conveyor is journalled at its respective ends in brackets 20, 21, mounted in the frame, one of these brackets, namely 20, being bolted to the end of the lathe and the other being included as a part of a transmission housing 22 supported on the lathe bed at the other end of the lathe.

The spiral conveyor is rotated to move the spiral conveyor, within the transmission housing and meshed with a worm 25 mounted thereabove,

The worm 25 is pinned to a motor shaft extension 26 extending into the transmission housing through a side wall of the lathe bed. This shaft extension 26 is coupled to the stub shaft27 of an electric motor 28 mounted at the side of the lathe bed on a motor bracket 29.

A modified form of receptacle, more in the nature of a grease, oil or chip pan, may be in-- cluded where the integrality-strengthening feature is not needed. In this form, which is 11- lustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the general strucl ture is the same as in the preceding form, with wall of substantial thickness which is extended vice 17 has been incorporated in the longitudinal wheels38-at the outwardly extended end of the transmission, the worm wheel being disposed the exception of the construction and mounting of the trough and deflecting or directing walls relative to the bed and its cross ribs.

A semicircular trough of sheet metal 30 is arranged in the same general manner as the 8 cast trough but is supported through the cross ribs of the lathe bed within openings '31 formed therein. The side walls of the sheet metal trough are extended upwardly vertically a short distance as at 32 and are connected to the way portions 8 of the lathe bed by sheet metal walls 33 either as separate pieces from the trough or integral therewith, these walls being inclined in the same manner as the case walls previously set forth.

The operation of the spiral conveyor in either 9 form may be intermittent and only at particular times desired or may be continuous depending on the rapidity of the deposit in the trough. The same type of conveyor device may be used in the latter form as in the former, it being apparent, 9 however, that the features of additional strength and the rigidity for thelathe bed are not present in the use of the sheet metal trough.

The septums or cross walls may include internal longitudinally disposed curved support walls 10 34 beneath the trough joined to the upper wall of the septum and fitting the underside of the trough for supporting the sheet metal trough entirely throughout the width of the double wall septums. To aid in the passage of chips, etcflll to the trough the upper surfaces of the ribs or septums are curved or rounded for shedding the particles therefrom into the trough.

It will be apparent from the foregoing descrip-;, tionthat the trough cast within the'lathe bed'il has a dual function whereby it not only receives and collects the debris, chips and oil from the ways, carriage, and tools of the lathe but braces the general construction of the bed in conjunc;,,

' tion with the cross ribs and the connecting or 11 chip directing walls.

In Figures 6 to 10 inclusive, a modified type of chip conveying and discharging means 35 is illustrated and in conjunction therewith the. lathe bed indicated at 36'is'modified. This modi' 12 fied conveying and discharging means 35 is of the endless conveyor type. The conveyor includes oper'atingchains 37, 3'7 engaged over respective sprocket wheels 38 mounted on a lathe bed, there. being a chain at each side of the-conveyor for 12 supporting the chip receiving sections 39 of the conveyor and two sprocket wheels 38 at each end of the conveyor.

The sprocket wheels 38 at the inner end of tha conveyor are mounted for rotation between the 3 walls 40 of the lathe bed on a shaft 41 journalled within bosses 42 of the bed. The conveyor moves longitudinally of the lathe bed, its upper run being the receiving run. The drive for the con; veyor is accomplished through the sprocket 13 conveyor. a

These latter sprocket wheels 38 have their shaft 43 mounted in bearing brackets 44 secured against the end of the lathe bed, the shaft 43 14 being the power shaft. This shaft 43 has attached thereto the worm wheel 45 of a driving within a housing 46 supporting the extended end of the shaft and driven by 'means of a worm 47 14 fixed to the motor shaft 48 of the motor 49. The housing is mounted on an extension 50 of a motor bracket 51. The motor .48 is disposed at the side of the lathe bed. J The upper run of the conveyor ismounted i5 within and passes through a channel or trough 52 formed by a longitudinal wall53 formed between and beneath the ways 54 of thelathe bed. This channel has afiat bottom 55 and its wall includes side portions 56 extended at angles downwardly and inwardly from the way portions of the bed. .In addition to thislongitudinally disposed wall forming channel, the lathe bed is additionally reinforced by means of cross ribs 5'7 grouped in pairs along its length.

The sprocket chains of the conveyor include rollers 58 which ride upon the bottom of the channel (see Figure 8), whereby the conveyor is supported during passage through the channel beneath the mechanisms of the lathe. Support is also provided for the lower runs of'the'chamber conveyor (see Figure 8).

longitudinally disposed plate strips or ways 60 are secured to the under sides of'the cross ribs and extend across the slot a'sufiicient distance to underlie and support the rollers of the chains.

The conveyor body is made up of a series of overlapping sections 39 for flexibility, there being a section mounted between each of the adjacent the sections prevent lateral displacement of the chips etc., deposited into the upper run of the conveyor.

For positively directing the chips into the conveyor, a chip directing pan 63 lies upon the inclined wall portions of the longitudinally formed channel. The walls of the-chip directing plate or pan are inclined downwardly and inwardly and extend to points over the conveyor and within the side walls thereof.

Both ends of the channel 52 are open and the channel portion is extended to include the entireregion below the carriage travel and approximately the entire length of the lathe with the exception of a portion under the headstock. The bottom surface of the channel at the inner end is rounded off as at 64 to permit easy rolling movement of the chain rollers into the channel.

Any chip receiving device may be provided at the discharge end of the conveyor.

' Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In a lathe, a lathe body including spaced apart longitudinal ways, said body having side walls and cross ribs joining said side walls, a trough of semi-cylindrical form mounted longitudinally of the lathe body and through the cross.

ribs, a spiral conveyor mounted within said trough, chip directing walls. extended between the ways and the trough for directing the chips falling from the ways into the trough, and means for driving said spiral conveyor.

2. In a lathe, a lathe body including ways,

said body having side walls and transverse ribs connecting said side walls, a trough of semicylindrical form mounted longitudinally of the lathe body and through the transverse ribs, and. chip directing walls extended between the ways and the trough for directing the chips" falling from the ways into the trough.

For this purpose 1 the lower run of the conveyor moves through slots 59 cut in the lower edges of the cross ribs and 3. In a lathe. a lathe bed including spaced apart parallel longitudinal ways, said body having side walls and transverse ribs connecting said side walls, a trough mounted longitudinally of the lathe bed to an end'thereof and through the cross ribs, aconveyor mounted within said trough, chip directing walls extended between the ways and the trough for directing the chips falling from the ways into the trough, means 7 for driving said conveyor, and said lathe bed having a discharge port at the end to which the trough extends whereby said conveyor moves the chips to the end of the trough and through the discharge port.

4. In a lathe, an integral. lathe bed including side walls, slideways formed along said side walls,

cross ribs joining the side walls, and a semicylindrical longitudinally disposed central portion joining the cross ribs and connected to the side walls by inclined walls.

5. In a lathe, a lathe bed including side walls, slideways formed along said side walls, hollow struts joining the .side walls, said struts having rounded upper surfaces, and a semi-cylindrical longitudinally disposed central portion joining the struts and connected to the side walls, said central semi-cylindrical portion open at its upper side for receiving the chips from the work and slideways.

6. In a lathe, a lathe'bed including side walls,

slideways formed along said side walls, hollow struts joining said side walls, and a hollow longitudinally .disposed central receptacle portion joining the cross ribs and connected to the side walls whereby the chips and lubricant falling from the slideways and work are deposited in .said receptacle.

'7. In a lathe, a bed including ways, a wall disposed within the bed between and below the ways thereof, said wall forming a longitudinally disposed channel, a conveyor device movable through the channel, and a chip directing element mounted over the channel for directing the chips into the conveyor device.

8. In a lathe, a bed including spaced ways, a

wall within the lathe bed disposed between and beneath the ways and forming a longitudinally disposed channel, an endless conveyor device mounted in the lathe bed and having its upper run passing through the channel and supported therein, and means for directing the chips into theconveyor device.

9. In a lathe bed including ways, awall within the lathe bed forming a channel between and beneath the ways extended longitudinally of the lathe bed, an endless conveyor havingits upper run passing through the channel and supported therein, means for driving the endless conveyor, said endless conveyor including side flanges, and chip directing means supported beneath the ways for directing the chips into. the endless conveyor, said chip directing device extended for directing the chips within the side fianges'of the endless conveyor.

10. In a lathe, a lathe bed including ways, a

bed, and inclined walls connecting the channel wall and the way portions of the lathe bed.

WILLIAM G. HOELSCI-IER. ALBERT E.-ROBINSON. 

